Solar to produce 10,000 UAVs a year in new unit | Nagpur News

Nagpur: Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (SDAL) will set up a facility to make 10,000 UAVs of all types in a year after the proposed plant gets operational. It also plans to make both humanoid and dog robots.SDAL makes the drone-based loitering munition systems, Nagastra, which were also successfully used in Operation Sindoor.

Now, the company would be extending the range beyond the 5 versions of Nagastra. From UAVs that can have a range of 15km to even Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) unmanned aircraft are planned to be made at the unit here.SDAL chairman Satyanarayan Nuwal, however, stressed the need for indigenous production of sensors and chips that go into making these products. “So far, India has gained expertise in programming these machines. However, the sensors that make a vital component are not made here, and the industry depends on foreign sources, especially Europe,” he told TOI. “India should develop its own sensors, only then absolute indigenisation can be achieved,” he added.On the new facility planned at Mihan-SEZ, Nuwal said the company did not have any orders in hand, yet it planned to go ahead with production considering the country’s future needs.